Kate Middleton’s Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood is set to introduce a new project that aligns closely with her personal interests. The foundation announced on social media that they will be investing further into bringing the Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB) to the UK.
The announcement came after a positive evaluation recommended the approach be implemented nationwide. They plan to fund the Institute of Health Visiting to develop resources tailored for the UK, and establish a national ADBB Community of Practice.
The evaluation found that training in ADBB strengthens understanding of infant social withdrawal and increases practitioner confidence in observing and interpreting babies’ behavior. Health visitors reported feeling better equipped to articulate the baby’s perspective and “give the baby a voice” in conversations with families.
By helping practitioners and families understand what babies are communicating from the very start, it allows for early identification of where additional support may be needed,” according to the charity. Kate Middleton first saw the tool in use when she met health visitors in Denmark in February 2022, and the Centre has been working with the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) since then to bring these benefits to families across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.